Our History

The Clocktower Stud, established in 2007 is owned by Dr. Elaine Atkins, Mrs. Catherine Carter and Elaine’s daughter, Branwen Griffin.

Our first Dartmoor was Nappa Heatherbrook, (Twiggy) bought as a three-year old future child’s pony by Catherine from Dumfriesshire-based Mrs. June Jones and her daughter Emma. Twiggy (Premium Springwater Happy Day ex Nappa Cherrybrook) had only been lightly shown by her breeder, though always ‘in the ribbons’ and was reserve champion youngstock, Cumbria NCPA.

In her first show (Perth) just a short time after arriving and handled by Branwen, she came 1st and it was obvious to us all that together they had a big future in showing, confirmed this year when Twiggy blitzed her way to Champion M&M in-hand at the Fife county show.

Having quickly become smitten by the Dartmoor character we decided to purchase three more ponies, from Mrs. Jane Moore of Cayberry Stud in Yorkshire, and they came to join Elaine’s Welsh Part-bred mare Gleanmhor Hint of Gold – ‘Goldie’ (BWB Stonegrove Ace ex Welsh D Lockeridge Forget-me-not) in July 2007.

The new ‘Darties’ settled in quickly and the stud was born! Cayberry Storm Queen (International Champion Oak Tree Starstorm ex Cayberry Playja) was then a yearling. The grey Metherall Lark (Shelly Playboy ex White Heather IX) had a colt foal Cayberry Cock oft’ North - aka ‘Smot’ at foot one of the very last foals sired by Super Premium Shilstone Rocks D Day. She was also in-foal with the now grey ‘Sunny’ - Clocktower Tick-Tock (by Super Premium Shilstone Rocks Atlantic Gale), born to much relief and excitement all round in May 2008 after being four weeks late!

As well as pure-bred Dartmoors, the stud’s policy will be to produce part-bred sports ponies, initially sired by its imported Haflinger performance stallion, Anton oet de Broekstreek, owned in partnership with Mrs. Andi van Mierlo of the Tilliochie Stud in Holland.

Through careful breeding selection and use of natural horsemanship methods, our aim is to produce sound ponies of excellent temperament that are suitable to take part in all spheres of equestrianism. Aiding us in this endeavour are Gillian Gordon, fellow enthusiast of the natural route, and Catherine’s children, Calyn and Struan, our little jockeys.